Floating dock structure, and the relative service gangway

ABSTRACT

Floating dock structure comprising two pairs of channel sections rigidly connected to define a rectangular support frame. A plurality of floating containers are arranged below the rectangular frame for enabling the dock to float and are constrained in place by cross angle sections. The containers support at least a sheet of marine plywood above which a plurality of footboards are provided. The dock structure has a relative service gangway of rectangular structure. The frame of the gangway comprises two pairs of angle sections above which there are located a sheet of marine plywood, this latter supporting a plurality of footboards. The gangway rests at its one end on the dock and is provided at the other end with means for coupling to the dry land.

United States Patent 1191 Martini 1 FLOATING DOCK STRUCTURE, AND THE RELATIVE SERVICE GANGWAY [75] Inventor: Alfredo Martini, Monza, Italy [73] Assignee: Patentwerke Anstalt, Vaduz.

Liechtenstein [22] Filed: Jan. 14, 1974 [21} Appl. No.: 433,427

[ 1 Aug. 5, 1975 1763,1108 10/1973 Smith 114/.5 F

Primary E.\'aminerTrygve M. Blix Assistant Emmim-r-Gregory W. OConnor Attorney, Agent. or FirmDr. Guido Modiano; Dr. Albert Josif [57] ABSTRACT Floating dock structure comprising two pairs of channel sections rigidly connected to define a rectangular support frame. A plurality of floating containers are arranged below the rectangular frame for enabling the dock to float and are constrained in place by cross angle sections. The containers support at least a sheet of marine plywood above which a plurality of footboards are provided. The dock structure has a relative service gangway of rectangular structure. The frame of the gangway comprises two pairs of angle sections above which there are located a sheet of marine ply wood. this latter supporting a plurality of foothoards. The gangway rests at its one end on the dock and is provided at the other end with means for coupling to the dry land.

6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEU AUG 5 975 SHEET SHEET PATENTEB AUB 51975 FLOATING DOCK STRUCTURE, AND THE RELATIVE SERVICE GANGWAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a floating dock structure and the relative service gangway, particularly adapted to aid the use of said floating dock.

For the loading and unloading of watercraft in general, it is necessary for them to come alongside a dock or wharf which extends into the water until it allows a minimum of draft to the watercraft.

For determined environmental conditions, floating docks are found particularly useful, having the merit of not requiring costly foundation works.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of this invention is to provide a floating dock structure consisting of solid structural elements which are easily available and can be put together by simple operations, and hence of low production cost.

A further object is that said dock structure can be placed alongside analogous structures so as to obtain a useful area of dimensions conforming to the most varied requirements.

These and other objects which will be more evident hereinafter are attained by a floating dock structure and the relative service gangway, in which said dock comprises two pairs of channel sections connected rigidly at their ends so as to define a substantially rectangular support frame, a plurality of floating containers arranged to enable the dock to float, a plurality of pairs of angle sections connected rigidly to the lower face of said pair of channel sections constituting the major sides of said frame, each of said pairs of angle sections being arranged to constitute the constraining support for at least two pairs of said containers, a plurality of sheets of marine plywood supported on said containers, and a plurality of footboards with through holes disposed side by side above said sheets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more evident from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the floating dock structure and relative gangway illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of the dock with its relative gangway;

FIG. 2 is a view from above of the same floating dock, provided with the gangway;

FIG. 3 shows the system of articulated connection of the gangway to the land;

FIG. 4 is a partial view from above of the same connection system;

FIG. 5 shows the dock according to the invention connected directly to the land;

FIG. 6 is a view from above of the mobile coupling between two docks;

FIG. 7 shows diagrammatically the fixing system between the containers and the perimetral section which defines the size of the dock;

FIG. 8 is a partial lateral view of the same dock;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one of the connecting containers;

FIG. 10 shows a detail of the fixed coupling system between two docks.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the numerical symbols of the various figures of the accompanying drawings, the floating dock according to the invention consists of two pairs of lengthwise extending and widthwise extending channel sections, I and 2, respectively, welded at their ends and disposed in such a manner as to form a rectangular structure of suitable size.

The longitudinal or lengthwise extending channel sections I have their flanges facing outwards, and with their lower flange are rigid pairs of cross members 3 regularly spaced apart, consisting of angle sections, having angle section flanges extending transverse to each other, as shown in FIG. 3.

Between each pair of said cross members 3 are disposed two pairs of containers 4, which are fixed to the cross members by further pairs of angle sections 3'.

For this purpose the containers 4 are provided with an intermediate raised edge or flange formation 5, against which the lower ends or edges of the sections 3 and 3' rest.

Obviously the containers are sized in such a manner as to give in total a hydrostatic thrust which is sufficient to enable the platform to float when loaded, at least within determined limits compatible with its normal requirements of use.

Furthermore the sections 3 are connected so as to press the various pairs of containers 4 disposed transversely against the fixed sections 3.

Said sections 3' are subsequently connected by means of a plate 6 and bolt 7 to the lower face of the section I.

The first pair of containers 4 is preferably bolted to the relative external section.

The container 4, which as a general rule can have any overall configuration provided it is of rectangular plan, is provided with a hermetically sealed cover or lid 8 on top of the container.

Above said containers 4, fixed to the described metal structure, are extended sheets 9 of marine plywood, on which footboards II] of plastics material, provided with a plurality of through holes 11 for water drainage, are connected in a tight side by side arrangement, thereby forming a walkway surface.

On the longitudinal edges of the platform are disposed a plurality of fenders 12, consisting essentially of cylindrical rubber elements. As shown in FIG. 8 at least some of the fenders 12 have a portion thereof received between the flanges of the lengthwise extending channel sections 1.

Tubular or sleeve elements 13 are rigid with the ends of the transverse edges of said platform, and are disposed in a suitable relative manner such that a round bar 14 can be inserted between each pair.

It is possible in this manner to hingedly couple two or more of the floating docks, one following the other, as shown in FIG. 6, interposing other fender elements 12 between the flanking edges.

Obviously the coupling between two docks can also be made in a rigid manner by a series of through bolts 15, which clamp the webs of two adjoining widthwise extending end sections together. As visible in FIGS. 7

and 10, the widthwise extending channel sections have their flanges facing inwards.

The dock according to the invention is also provided with lateral projecting plates which enable two or more said docks to be rigidly disposed side by side.

The service gangway. constructed essentially with the same criteria as the clock, has a rectangular structure consisting of two pairs of angle sections, 16 and 17, welded at their ends.

This structure is strengthened transversely by a pair of T sections 18.

Above said structure is laid a sheet 19 of marine plywood, on which footboards similar to the footboards used in the clock are placed.

To that end of the gangway designed to rest on the dock is welded a strip of checkered metal 20, under which suitable fender elements are fixed.

At the opposite end. the gangway is coupled articu lately by means of pairs of tubular elements 21 and a round bar 22, to a second strip or anchor member of checkered metal 23 of greater length which may be fixed to the ground.

More precisely, said coupling is realised by means of a pair of horizontal plates 24 welded to the base of the section 17, and a pair of vertical plates 25 welded to the edge of the strip of checkered metal 23.

This latter is subsequently fixed to dry land by means of rubber blocks.

From the foregoing description and from an observation of the various figures of the accompanying drawings, the great functionality and simplicity of construction, which characterise the floating dock and relative service gangway which constitute the object of the present invention, are evident.

Obviously, said floating dock, the gangway coupled to it and the relative method of construction have been heretofore described and illustrated by way of nonlimiting example, with the purpose only of demonstrating the manner of attaining them in practice and the general characteristics of the present invention.

Numerous modifications can be made to the floating dock according to the invention and the relative gangway, according to the various conveniences of manufacture and their specific practical use, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

I. A floating dock structure comprising a first pair of spaced apart parallel channel sections extending lengthwise to the dock structure and having sea facing and land facing ends, a second pair of spaced apart parallel channel sections extending widthwise to the dock structure, one of said widthwise extending channel sections rigidly connecting said sea facing ends of said first pair of lengthwise extending channel sections and the other of said widthwise extending channel sections rigidly connecting the land facing cnds of said lengthwise extending channel sections, thereby to form a rectangular frame delimiting a closed perimeter, each of said channel sections having a web and channel flanges on the opposite edges of said web, a number of floating members within said perimeter, each of said floating members consisting of a container having a top and a rectangular bottom wall and side walls arranged to defining a rectangular cross-section of said container, said side walls of the container having a flange formation on the outer surface thereof in an intermediate position between said top and said bottom wall and extending substantially parallel to said bottom wall, angle sections extending crosswise to said rectangular frame, said angle sections having each angle flanges extending transverse to each other, one ofsaid angle flanges being arranged to cooperate with one side wall of said con' tainer above said flange formation thereof and having a lower edge thereof abutting against said flange formation, and the other of said angle flanges being arranged to cooperate with one of said channel flanges, at least one of said angle flanges being selectively fixed to said side wall and said channel flanges, thereby to form a rigid structure consisting of said rectangular frame and said containers, a plurality of covering members on said containers forming a walkway surface for the floating dock.

2. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, wherein said covering members include a lid on top of each of said containers for hermetically sealing the same, a plurality of sheets of marine plywood on said lids and a plurality of footboards with through holes, disposed side by side above said sheets.

3. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, wherein said lengthwise extending channel sections have their flanges projecting towards the outside, the structure further comprising fenders of elastic material and of substantially cylindrical configuration arranged along said lengthwise extending channel sections and having a portion thereof received between the said flanges.

4. A floating dock structure as claimed in claim I, further comprising spaced apart sleeve members fixed on said channel sections and bars inserted into said sleeve members for hinged coupling to analogous dock structure.

5. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, wherein said widthwise extending channel sections are arranged with their channel flanges facing inwards and wherein at least the web of the channel section arranged at said sea facing end having screw means for a face to face connection with an analogous web of a widthwise extending channel section of an adjoining floating dock structure.

6. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, further comprising a service gangway having one end thereof hinged to an anchor member fixable on the ground, and the other end thereof supported on a portion of said walkway surface, said gangway comprising a rectangular frame having sides made of angle sections, at least one pair of stiffening T-sections disposed transverse to the longitudinal extension of said gangway, at least one sheet of marine plywood disposed above said T-sections and angle sections, and a plural ity of footboards comprising through holes and disposed side by side above said sheet, said gangway hav ing said other end thereof resting on said portion of walkway surface and including a strip of checkered metal and fender elements interposed between said strip and said walkway surface portion, said one end of the service gangway having a sleeve member fixed to the angle section frame thereof and a bar inserted therein for a hinged connection with said anchor member. 

1. A floating dock structure comprising a first pair of spaced apart parallel channel sections extending lengthwise to the dock structure and having sea facing and land facing ends, a second pair of spaced apart parallel channel sections extending widthwise to the dock structure, one of said widthwise extending channel sections rigidly connecting said sea facing ends of said first pair of lengthwise extending channel sections and the other of said widthwise extending channel sections rigidly connecting the land facing ends of said lengthwise extending channel sections, thereby to form a rectangular frame delimiting a closed perimeter, each of said channel sections having a web and channel flanges on the opposite edges of said web, a number of floating members within said perimeter, each of said floating members consisting of a container having a top and a rectangular bottom wall and side walls arranged to defining a rectangular crosssection of said container, said side walls of the container having a flange formation on the outer surface thereof in an intermediate position between said top and said bottom wall and extending substantially parallel to said bottom wall, angle sections extending crosswise to said rectangular frame, said angle sections having each angle flanges extending transverse to each other, one of said angle flanges being arranged to cooperate with one side wall of said container above said flange formation thereof and having a lower edge thereof abutting against said flange formation, and the other of said angle flanges being arranged to cooperate with one of said channel flanges, at least one of said angle flanges being selectively fixed to said side wall and said channel flanges, thereby to form a rigid structure consisting of said rectangular frame and said containers, a plurality of covering members on said containers forming a walkway surface for the floating dock.
 2. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, wherein said covering members include a lid on top of each of said containers for hermetically sealing the same, a plurality of sheets of marine plywood on said lids and a plurality of footboards with through holes, disposed side by side above said sheets.
 3. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, wherein said lengthwise extending channel sections have their flanges projecting towards the outside, the structure further comprising fenders of elastic material and of substaNtially cylindrical configuration arranged along said lengthwise extending channel sections and having a portion thereof received between the said flanges.
 4. A floating dock structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising spaced apart sleeve members fixed on said channel sections and bars inserted into said sleeve members for hinged coupling to analogous dock structure.
 5. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, wherein said widthwise extending channel sections are arranged with their channel flanges facing inwards and wherein at least the web of the channel section arranged at said sea facing end having screw means for a face to face connection with an analogous web of a widthwise extending channel section of an adjoining floating dock structure.
 6. A floating dock structure according to claim 1, further comprising a service gangway having one end thereof hinged to an anchor member fixable on the ground, and the other end thereof supported on a portion of said walkway surface, said gangway comprising a rectangular frame having sides made of angle sections, at least one pair of stiffening T-sections disposed transverse to the longitudinal extension of said gangway, at least one sheet of marine plywood disposed above said T-sections and angle sections, and a plurality of footboards comprising through holes and disposed side by side above said sheet, said gangway having said other end thereof resting on said portion of walkway surface and including a strip of checkered metal and fender elements interposed between said strip and said walkway surface portion, said one end of the service gangway having a sleeve member fixed to the angle section frame thereof and a bar inserted therein for a hinged connection with said anchor member. 